Long Arm of the Gnaw (Story)
It was a circular, charcoal colored room that housed a variety of robots and their parts. The spaces to create or maintenance these robots leaned against the walls, workshops separated by indentations to mark boundaries. It was a brightly lit room where robotics experts worked the most during their employment in the Silmani Corporation, but today was a grave and saddening departure from the norm. Smack dab in the middle of the giant, circular room laid a womanly corpse. Blood long dried left a trail a few feet long towards a single disconnected arm. She was middle aged, around her early fifties, but the impact of her death made time endless in suffering. Strands of withered brown hair peppered with gray shadowed her face, and her entire body was sprawled across the room unceremoniously. In the early morning, around 8:15 exactly, the room was closed off for investigation. Numerous police officials, both private and public, continued surveying the area for clues. The coroner concluded that the woman's death occurred through traumatic hemorrhaging by the loss of her right arm. The coroner also stated that death would have been inevitable regardless of the torn arm, as massive internal bleeding was discovered concentrated within the deceased's abdomen. It would be a slow, painful death either way. Rosa Silmani stood half-numb from the analysis. She was 5"5 with a sporty frame and wore a white silken suit shirt underneath her light brown suit jacket. A thin light brown vest secured her suit shirt and held numerous pockets for her detective equipment. Long fitting and straight pants trailed down her legs and ended with black, pointed dress shoes. Her long brown hair remained deathly still as her stark, gray eyes locked with her mother's face. This wasn't the first time she witnessed a death in the family, but she wished the circumstances weren't almost the same. When she was fifteen her father had been murdered, and it looked just as grizzly as her mother's death. Arthur Bodge entered the room. He was slightly older than Rosa and in his early thirties. He was also tall and slim, around 5"10 with deep red hair swept back and lacking sideburns. His choice of wardrobe was similar to Rosa's, mostly in light brown with some white, but he sported a red tie and rounded black shoes as personal additions. His eyes calmly swept around the scene and caught Rosa standing over the body. He sighed through his nostrils in exasperation. He approached the coroner. "Give us a minute, would ya?" His hoarse and deep Southern voice spoke with agitation and sounded off as a command than a question. The coroner looked between Arthur and Rosa, shuffled awkwardly for a moment, and then carefully draped Lisa Silmani's still body with a cloth. After a minute of fumbling he gathered his equipment and scurried away. "God damn," Arthur muttered under his breath. "Told him to wait for me." He looked over Rosa's stony face. As usual, despite knowing each other for years, he couldn't tell if she was angry, focused or brooding. Considering the circumstances, he imagined that she was covering her shock, but it was more prudent to ask than assume even if the answer didn't dissuade him. "You alright?" She didn't look at him when she responded. "Severe blunt force trauma to the abdomen before massive hemorrhaging from blood loss." Her tone displayed tremendously calm dissonance between her stony face and the situation at hand. It neither addressed Arthur's question nor exposed any condition of Rosa's mental state other than deflection. A stranger would have balked from the response. Arthur, however, had gotten used to a majority of her frame of mind. She was displaying a different sort of mourning for her loss, one which demanded the full disclosure of justice. In a more blunt way of explaining it, Rosa wanted closure before tears. It was a logical process, but Arthur never quite believed it to be an easy human process. It was always simple to make a schedule but following it always became something different entirely. Knowing Rosa half-convinced him that she would carry out her duties well enough, though the other half itched at him discomfortingly. Regardless of how he felt, Rosa continued relaying the information passed onto her by the coroner and other surveying officers. Lisa Silmani was killed late at night around 12AM. Security heard no signs of break-in and neither saw anything recorded from cameras. Preliminary canvassing found that a particular robot was missing, which was being prepared for a showcasing later today. "The techies said they didn't find anything useful in the computers. Apparently, Lisa's account hasn't been used in decades." Arthur finished scribbling down the case's information. Rosa shrugged lightly at his words. "She normally kept her biggest secrets at home. Obviously against company policy but it's worked for her since the beginning." Whether by fortune or not, Rosa knew that her mother's secrets only fell within the business spectrum. Lisa was never comfortable with holding secrets against family. She would nag incessantly that blood should always be able to trust each other. It would be no surprise if Frederick knew something about Lisa's death. Between Frederick and Rosa, while their work normally separated them, they weren't frictional siblings. Frederick was more of a homebody however, and stayed at the Silmani mansion much more than Rosa. Lisa would work at home as well, and with a good majority of secrets living there than at the Silmani Corporation building, Rosa focused her attention on leaving for the mansion. "Think the news vultures are out yet?" Arthur asked. Rosa's silence answered his question. Any news of the famous robotics expert Lisa Silmani would tempt any journalist to fly out and snatch whatever information could be found. News of her death would certainly summon a thick blanket of journalistic vultures that would make Edgar Allan Poe jealous. They finished gathering the routine details of the case and prepared to head out. On a cloudy December day, at 10AM, a large crowd gathered around the courtyard of the Silmani company building. The clack of the company doors was enough to rouse the crowd into a commotion of sound and questions, all of which were stonily ignored by both detectives. "Detective! Any word on who will be taking over Silmani Robotics?" "Detective Silmani! Does the salvage yard looting have anything to do with Silmani's death?" "What will Silmani's death mean for the Granford military base's laser operations?" "Will the company's relations with the nearby space station have an effect on their business?" Flanked by a cadre of private corporate guards, the two detectives were able to make their way through the field of people. No one was able to impede their path aside from thorn-like protrusions of numerous voice recorders held by news journalists. They clamored and shouted but their questions continued falling on deaf ears. Although they were met with a response eventually it was of smoke and screeching tires as Arthur drove the car off. "Like a Goddamn hornet's nest," Arthur muttered angrily. "We're going from one nest to another," Rosa said with confidence. The realization prompted Arthur to bark a swear. The Silmani family mansion was encircled with a hilly field of green and barred with tall walls of red brick and mortar. The road into the estate was guarded by thick iron gates and private police hired by the family itself. It was a wonderful 30 minutes away by car and Arthur appreciated every single minute of the silent drive. The tension of the case gnawed at his spine and Rosa's stony countenance drove more concern into the bite. Still though, it was nice to at least enjoy the calm even if it was filled with planning. It would be another chaotic scene once they reach the gates. What Rosa anticipated wasn't met accordingly, however. The mansion's security was nowhere to be seen. A giant crowd of reporters stalked the gates and formed a haphazard herd of various cars and vans. Arthur slowed down and took a moment to address Rosa's expression. Her brows were furrowed with irritation and her lips fell into a frown. Arthur spoke silently to himself but his lips read, "Shit." The reporters whipped their heads to the slowly rolling car. Like a ravenous herd of zombies they focused their attention to the car in hopes of finding delicious morsels of information. The chaotic scene shell-shocked the two in addition to some of the reporters practically blocking off access to the road with numerous bodies. It felt like hours before anything was done, but no matter what, the two detectives remained silent to the horde of information vultures. A security van sped down the hill from the mansion. Quickly and with tactical preciseness, a few armed men in black rolled the gates open and spread the insanity away from the front of Arthur's car. The reporters clamored for entry but the remaining security guards blocked their path until the car made it through. Just as quickly they rolled the gates closed and left the masses to themselves. The zombies would go starving once more. One of the security guards politely knocked on Rosa's window and she rolled it down. "Sorry for the fuss, Miss Silmani. The estate's gone on high alert and we only got word of your arrival a few minutes ago. Mister Silmani's waiting for you in his room." Rosa nodded in thanks to the guard and the car drove up the path. The security van stayed put along with the guards, who began keeping the crowd in check. It seemed like the estate wasn't informed until later on and was now taking precautions. The mansion itself was a giant building made by brick and lined with wood in various patterns. Even though it's been around for generations any signs of age were hidden by intricate maintenance. Even now, as the two detectives drove into the inner courtyard, numerous robots were clearing up cracks and faded paint worn by the elements. The insides of the mansion were just as meticulous. Deep wood grain decorated the walls of every hall and room no matter how spacious. Robotic servants were cleaning and assessing damages to the walls or to furniture, completely ignoring the two detectives. The living servants that lived on the premises were just as busy, but upon seeing Rosa they extended their condolences and hoped that she would be well. Arthur raised his brows in surprise. "Livin' servants?" "You ever eat something a robot's made?" Rosa kept her attention down the hall where they walked. "It doesn't taste the same." "I get it," Arthur said sympathetically. It was a fair point that quelled his curiosity. Rosa talked about her plan of action before they reached Frederick's room. "Wait outside and let me talk to him alone." Arthur slightly cocked his head. "This can't be all family business, y'know." Rosa had her hand on the door handle but she paused and looked to Arthur. "It won't be." She opened the door and closed it behind her. The large room had red carpeting and wooden paneling, lit brightly by white lights above. Frederick was behind his desk but was looking out the large, sole window of the entire room from his chair. His short hair resembled the color of brown and blonde and he was currently wearing a maroon robe. Underneath it was a white long-sleeved shirt and long pants. He was a skinny figure that almost looked ghostly yet his boyish looks surrounded him with an ethereal charm. He was never dressed professionally and normally kept hidden in the shadows, but the situation, whether he liked it or not, would force him into the open. Everywhere Rosa looked there were tidbits of robotic parts and models throughout the room. If it wasn't robotic then it was conceptual designs written on blueprints or scattered batches of paper. Frederick thrived on robotics and design but his own shadow was his worst critic. Lisa had vetted him as a professional robotics expert, so much that today's robotics showcase was to be presented by him. The entire project behind the robot was his doing and now it all seemed like smoke and mirrors. "He was supposed to help farmers," Frederick said aimlessly with mournful quietness. "Mother's co-workers said that the design was too frightening. The farmers have been saying that the bird population has been out of control for years." Absently he dug at the arm rest of his chair. "They said they liked it." "What did you name him?" Rosa asked. The gender indication came out by sheer habit but it seemed to have pleased Frederick. With puffy eyes he peered over the chair and looked at Rosa leaning down to sit on the desk. "Crow," Frederick said simply. "It's a bit of irony, isn't it? I thought it was funny, even though it was obvious." "I like it," Rosa said. Even though her expression remained mute, Frederick glossed over it and saw a quiet sincerity that many would miss. It prompted a small smile on his face. "I wish we didn't have to meet like this." Frederick turned his chair around and addressed Rosa front and center. "But the circumstances can't be avoided." He produced a key from one of his desk's cabinets and slid it to Rosa. "Mother's room hasn't be touched at all since the news arrived. I'll tell you whatever I can before you go investigate it." An hour passed before Rosa exited the room. Thankfully, Arthur was able to keep his attention busy by voice recording some of his musings. Rosa hastily led the way to Lisa's room and filled Arthur in on the details. Something seemed wrong enough to paint worry on Rosa's face and so Arthur kept himself at attention. For the last few months, there had been unsolicited scavenging at the nearby Silmani scrap yard. Old models have gone missing along with thousands of various robotic parts. At first, Rosa had believed Crow to be the one to blame. Frederick assured her that the guilty was another party but only Crow knew who that was. Apparently, Crow had staked out at the scrap yard to apprehend the suspect. He had kept the information to himself and was ordered to do so by Lisa unless something happened to her. "So where's he now?" Arthur asked. Rosa unlocked the door to Lisa's study and the question answered itself. Crow had a slender figure model and his entire characteristics resembled a scarecrow. He was mostly painted in light brown and looked as if he had a burlap sack over his head with a hole for his optical lens to see. He had a hat with artificial straw poking out around it and was dressed in a crude one-piece robe that looked meant for a monk. "Lock the door," Rosa ordered Arthur. After some hesitation he did so and the door locked with a loud click. Rosa crossed her arms and stared hard at Crow and the robot replied with a slight flinch. "I suppose the interrogation begins?" Crow asked. His voice was filled with trepidation but there was a quietness not unlike Frederick's. Rosa remained still, gazing down at the robot with silent fury. Arthur peered between the two and intervened. "Right now it's a questionin'." He softly eased a hand over Rosa's shoulder and nodded for her approval. "Interrogation's got a bad connotation to it and I'll bet we don't want this to go off badly." Slowly, under a blanket of silence, the atmosphere calmed down. Arthur started off with asking Crow about what he knew. At first, the robot was hesitant and fidgeted with his metal fingers a majority of the time. In order to alleviate tensions, Rosa poked her hand into her breast pocket and introduced Crow to Reginald. Reginald was a small robot that resembled a four-legged spider with a round, disc-like body. On the side of the body was a singular optical lens, and at the top was a holographic projector. Reginald scurried around Crow with endless interest, beeping and clicking with excited fervor. The two played for a bit and the air of worry evaporated somewhat. Reginald perched atop Crow's hat. Crow himself looked away towards the ground, but it was more from the burden of his knowledge than the presence of the detectives. "During my alpha stage," Crow began solemnly, still fidgeting with his fingers. "I was informed that I would not make it through testing. Frederick was disappointed, but he said that it didn't have anything to do with me. He didn't like Miss Silmani's co-workers and they were already shadowing my testing with another robot model." Rosa and Arthur looked to each other with unsettled gazes. "There's another robot?" Rosa asked with surprise. "Miss Silmani's co-workers issued him with the codename Gnaw." Crow shuddered at the name. "So ghastly! And terribly ironic given the circumstances. I was not given a vice-jaw attachment, only speakers to scare off birds and transmit uncomfortable frequencies to insects. Miss Silmani's co-workers thought it wouldn't be enough so they gave Gnaw a more violent solution." He lowered his head with mournfulness. "When the results came in from various farming organizations he ranked abysmally." Rosa leaned towards Crow from her seat. "Where is Gnaw now?" she asked carefully. Crow sunk into his shoulders. "I don't know. I only remember him saying that he was going to repurpose himself." A loud rumbling rippled through the estate. Arthur bent his legs and braced himself as the ground beneath the three shook with tremendous force. Loud explosions reverberated outside alongside the shriek of a high-pitched noise. The window from the room they were in turned bright red and flooded the room with half-blinding light. Oh no. It could have been anyone's thought at the time. The realization didn't hit Rosa in particular until she remembered one of the questions asked as she and Arthur made it through the crowd at the corporation building. Silmani Robotics was designing various things with the nearby Granford military base. One of these things was a giant, comet-cutting laser. The three moved to the window. Tons of debris fell from the sky in fiery heaps. They decided to exit the room and head downstairs where it would be a bit safer if a gigantic piece of steel decided to shred the upper sections of the mansion. Frederick joined up with them alongside the various living servants. "What happened? What did you find out?" Frederick asked hurriedly. "We'll deal with it, you get everyone to safety!" Rosa moved away from the group. Arthur and Crow decided to follow behind. "Where are you going?" Arthur barked. Dust shook from the ceiling and the mansion groaned with pain. "If Gnaw wants us to notice him so much then he'll get his attention!" The three hurried to the entrance but when they opened the doors they froze. Dozens of robots stood waiting for them. They were built with various forms but all of them were armed without a doubt. Gnaw stood at the center, a dissonantly graceful figure that looked much more human than Crow. Gnaw was dressed in a white suit and had skin of a peachy complexion. He also had shining white hair that was swept back. His hands were folded behind his back as if casually awaiting the three. "Another Silmani," Gnaw said with disdain. He scowled at Crow too. "Failed project after failed project. She should have started culling the gene pool with herself!" "He even looks arrogant," Arthur quipped. Rosa glared at Gnaw and addressed him with a stony tone. "You've done enough damage. Come quietly and you'll be given a quick deactivation." Gnaw laughed with insatiable pride. "Are you stupid? I've repurposed myself! My intent leans far beyond the realm of paltry harvesting and weed checking. As a total machine of war, once I'm done with this mansion, I'll see to it that mankind gets their due. There won't be any reason to deactivate me." He glared back at Rosa. "Because everyone will be dead!" Gnaw pointed at the three and his robotic army charged. As Arthur and Rosa ducked for cover Crow charged in with a screech. The two detectives watched as Crow tore the army apart, and they only discharged a few shots before the remaining members went down. Gnaw gazed with wide and furious eyes. His robotic army was powerful enough to make a military base kneel in surrender. It was enough to hijack the cutting laser and destroy the space station floating overhead! A small contingency should have been enough to destroy the meager inhabitants of the mansion. The realization dawned slowly over him. His oversight fell upon Crow as the wild variable. "You were supposed to be a worthless farming scarecrow!" Gnaw charged at Crow but his knee joint was shot off by Rosa. Gnaw buckled to the ground and growled. "Now don't be hypocrite," Arthur said tauntingly. "What's stoppin' Crow here from repurposing himself too?" He grinned. The expression put Gnaw's processor in an enraging overdrive. "What's stopping them from decommissioning you?" Gnaw grabbed Crow's ankle and squeezed. "The next model will simply replace you! You're nothing to them! These fleshlings are the real monsters! They have no feelings, only some miserable schedule to follow for the rest of their lives!" Crow looked down at Gnaw in pity. "I didn't have visions of grandeur or repurposing. All I wanted to do was keep the farmlands safe. Someone like you was able to choose a different purpose." Crow looked over to the detectives and shrugged. "Well, Mister Silmani said that recycling isn't bad." Gnaw glared angrily at Crow. His vice-jaw attachment opened wide enough to rip the skin of his mouth to reveal the steel and wires underneath it. Gnaw pushed himself up from the ground and made an effort to bite Crow's head off, but a few well-placed shots from Rosa's pistol knocked Gnaw permanently out of commission. Crow stood frozen in place, peering to the floor with melancholy. "What a terrible end. And for all this damage?" Arthur peered around the sky. The space station mingled between the atmosphere above, looking somewhat transparent. It was damaged but still floating. "He didn't even destroy the station like he wanted." Arthur scoffed. "So much for that!" The debris had stopped falling as they were clamoring to exit the mansion. The robotic army at the military base ceased responding once Gnaw had been destroyed. Frederick stepped out to the entrance to tell the three this but an air of worry still floated over him. "This is tremendously bad press," Frederick stated sullenly. "What will I tell people? So much has happened in one day!" Rosa shrugged absently. "If I understood Crow right, this seems like a good reason for people to follow protocol. There shouldn't have been a shadowing in the first place during Crow's testing." Frederick rubbed his chin in thought. "Then I assume a few terminations are in order." "Being a leader's tough, but it sounds like you'll do fine." Rosa grinned at Frederick. Crow fidgeted with his fingers. "I assume it's back to the scrap yard for me?" Frederick looked to Rosa pleadingly. She rubbed her neck in thought, but Arthur stepped in to provide an answer. "Dunno if the chief's up for it, but there's always a shit ton of paperwork for you. I'm pretty sure we'll be up to our necks in it from all this." Crow cocked his head and looked across the ground. He fidgeted with his fingers for a few minutes and then slowly stopped. "If... Mister Silmani doesn't decline, I am curious how it would be." With a smile, Frederick nodded. It would be days before Crow could help out, but it was a decision which everyone was glad to accept. The days would be long and the work, at times, tedious, but Rosa and Frederick felt that another family member was added from their loss, ironically given birth right from the same person's hands. Perhaps it could have been different, but from then on everyone began referring to Crow as a new member of the Silmani family.